While most college seniors are graduating in a haze of mind-numbing speeches and cap-throwing, Columbia College Chicago sends their students out in style with a giant all-day art fair, including a free performance by OK Go. (Yeah, be jealous.)

Paper-mache station wagons; Victorian gowns made from trash bags; a punk -rock marching band leading hundreds in a parade of costumed college revelry. MANIFEST Urban Arts Festival 2008 is shaping up to be Columbia College's most ambitious and eco-friendly graduation ceremony to date -- if you can even call it a "graduation ceremony."  Between the green-themed street art fair and sale, film screenings, performance art fest, radio and television broadcasts, four stages of live music and 30,000 expected attendees, this is definitely more block party than commencement.

But what else could we really expect from the nation's biggest art college? Over 75 different showcases will present and celebrate the work of graduating students -- some of whom might one day be as famous as former students Pat Sajak ('68), Andy Richter ('88) and Andy Dick (surprise -- he didn't graduate).

The best news, of course, is that Manifest is completely open to the public! The celebration will be held 11am-9pm on Friday, May 16 at the Columbia South Loop campus.